Clothesline adjuster



Au 18, 1936. as; COOPER 2,051,330

CLOTHESLINE ADJUSTER Filed July 24, 1935 Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNI ED STA E PATENT o Flc CLOTHESLINE ADJUSTER EugeneSmith Cooper, Augusta, Maine Application July 24, 1935, Serial No. 32,943- 2 claims.v c1.z 4 1s+ V This invention relates to rope clamps and more particularly to a device for adjustingand removing the slack in clothes lines.

The object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character capable of being readily positioned on a clothes line and by means of which the clothes line may be conveniently adjusted to the desired tension and securely clamped in adjusted position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes line adjuster which is automatic in action and which will positively grip the line and effectually prevent slippage thereof under all conditions of service.

A further object is to provide a clothes line adjuster including an elongated body portion having a rope receiving recess and provided with a pivoted gripping member for clamping the rope within said recess, there being a finger piece adjacent the gripping member and disposed on the same side of the body portion as said gripping member to facilitate holding the body portion when actuating the gripping member.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efiiciency.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clothes line adjuster embodying the present invention showing the line clamped within the holder.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view with the rope or clothes line removed.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 66 of Figure 5 with the rope or 5 clothes line removed.

The improved clothes line adjuster forming the subject matter of the present invention comprises an elongated body portion 5 preferably cast, stamped, or otherwise formed of metal and 50 having one end thereof provided with an atseat 9 for the receptionof the other end In or the clothes line. Extending-through ,the ears, 8 is a transverse pin II on which is pivotally mounted a gripping member, indicated at 12. 1 One end of the gripping member is tapered to form an operating handle l3, while the other end thereof is provided with a gripping surface eccentric to the pivot pin H and formed with teeth or serrations |4 adapted to bite into the clothes line and firmly clamp the same against the adjacent wall of the seat 9 when said gripping member is swung upwardly to the full line position shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. Extending laterally from the body portion 5 immediately above the ears 8 are oppositely disposed finger pieces 5 preferably slightly dished or curved to accommodate the thumb and first finger of the hand and thus permit the device to be conveniently supported when adjusting the clothes line to remove the slack therefrom. The eye 6 may be fastened to the clothes line or attached directly to a hook, as preferred.

In order to remove slack from the clothes line, the device is grasped in the left hand with the thumb and first finger engaging the finger pieces l5 after which a slight longitudinal pull is exerted on the free end of the line H! which releases the gripping member l2 and permits said line to slide longitudinally within its seat until all slack has been removed and the line placed under desired tension. When this has been accomplished, the tension on the line will automatically move the gripping member to operative position with the teeth thereof in contact with the rope or line and in which position the clothes line will be firmly held without liability of slippage. It will here be noted that the finger pieces l5 are disposed on the same side of the body portion 5 as the gripping member I2 and are arranged adjacent thereto so that while the device is supported by the thumb and first finger of the operator, the second or middle finger may be used to move the gripping member l2 in the direction of the body portion to effect the automatic clamping of the line in adjusted position.

In Figure 5 of the drawing there is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the body portion 5 is provided with but a single finger engaging piece, indicated at l6, and this finger piece I6 instead of extending laterally 'piece l9 andthe upper walls of'the handle and 7 operation of the device is otherwise similar to that shown-in Figure 1 of the drawing and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary. It will; of course, be understood that theclothes 'line adjusters may be made-in different sizes and V shapes and formed of any suitable material with-- 'out departing'tfrom the spirit of the invention.

It will also be understood that while'the adjuster is particularly adapted for application to clothes lines, said adjuster may be used with V equallygood results as a rope clamp for general purposes.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: v r V 1. A deviceof the class described comprising a body portion having means at one end thereof for attachment to one portion of a clothes line and provided with a longitudinally disposed seat adapted to receive another portion of said clothes line, ears depending from the body portion at said seat, a gripping member pivotally mounted between the ears and having one portion thereof 5 disposed eccentric to its, pivotal axis and pro- V vided with teeth and another portion terminating in a handle, and finger pieces extending laterally from opposite sides of the body portion and disposed adjacent the gripping member. 10V

7. 2. A device of theclass described comprising j a body portion having means at one'end thereof 7 for attachment to one portion of a clothes line and provided with a longitudinally disposed seat adapted to receive another portion of said clothes 5 7 line, spaced ears depending from the body portion at said seat, a gripping member eccentrically' mounted between the ears and provided with an operating handle of a width greater than the width of the seat, and a finger piece extending 20,

laterally from'one end of the body portion in advance of'th'e operating handle of thegripping member. a'

EUGENE SMITH COOPER; 

